Hello.
 

I'm new here, been lurking for awhile and decided to make an account so I can post. Looking forward to meeting you all and using your knowledge potentially in the future. I'm currently searching Craigslist for my first bike but eventually I would like to order a China bike. See you soon! :hi:

Welcome. Why not make a China bike your first bike? It would be a great way to learn how to properly maintain a motorcycle, and if you destroy it, you won't cry too hard.

I'm thinking about it. The only problem is everyone is having customer service issues, a Q9 motor sports on craigslist actually sent me down the rabbit hole finding this forum

I'm trying to find something less than 1000 which is mainly why I haven't sprung on it yet

Welcome aboard! If you can swing the money a Hawk or Bashan is, in my opinion, the better entry level cost effective bike out there....These guys have certainly been putting them through the ringer and their results have been impressive overall....just my opinion..,I prefer new to an unknown possibly severely abused used bike.

Let me tell you something. I have my share of experiences with under $1000 used bikes. Unless you find one heck of a gem that somebody is just trying to unload for cheap, I can almost promise you that you will be either - rebuilding the carbs, replacing the tires, fixing electrical issues and/or someone elses half-assed electrical repairs, fixing leaks, replacing some part of the cooling system if it's liquid cooled. Heck, I could go on...

Don't let this discourage you from looking at all, but just be aware that bikes in the price point you are looking in usually end up down for lengths of time needing repairs. Want to talk about going down the rabbit hole? Wait until you start a project to fix one known problem, and then have to fix 5 others you find along the way.

I am not saying the Hawk, or any other similar chinese bike, won't take some work. Usually you have to put it together anyway lol. However, a few hours of assembly, bolt checking, and fluid changing will get you a brand new bike. A few tweaks to improve it as you see fit, IE sprockets, carb tuning, etc will only make it better.

If finances are the reason why, some retailers like 360powersports and killermotorsports have options to finance through banks like Affirm with nothing down. 12 month financing on a hawk would end up around 125ish a month. I would say pay it all at once if you can, but it is an option.

Yeah, exactly. I actually think i would like getting a little dirty and making sure everything is right and tight, the engine is babied for the first 500 and all the fluids are replaced. I did find a China bike in there for 900, and the more and more I dig I'm turned off. He says it has 400 miles but both the rear side pieces are gone and the engine looks like it has some film or something on it. The pic he sent of what it looked like day 1 is that of a normal China bike, basically a hawk. Oh and the front headlight looks like something he go to from Walmart and whipped together. The brand is so out there it's only available to purchase through alibaba. I don't mean to be rude but you take a look

https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/mcy/6100184787.html

I can probably pay it all up at once if I save up a bit. I have like 6 or 700 in cash pulled out so i don't spend it currently lol

Keep in mind that, aside from whatever price you pay for said bike, you will need money for, tax/title/license. Not that taxes and registration on a Hawk will be outrageous, but keep it in mind. I think a fair estimate for that would be about 200 bucks on the high side, but it really depends on where you live obviously.

If you have 600-700 saved up, you could always finance and use that money for the above costs and ordering a couple of goodies lol. Just depends on what your preferences are. From what I can tell, most retailers seem to be on pre-order/back order for the next month anyway. Gives you some time to put the rest together.

The bike you linked doesn't look like one that could be registered for road use, if that was something that mattered to you at all. If it only has 50 miles, it definitely never saw pavement once in its life either...or a wash for that matter.

It's actually plated.. :hehe: supposedly. I don't think I necessarily trust that but who knows could have plated it before whatever happened to that poor thing. I'm already making an Amazon wishlist of riding gear ;). I do want a road legal bike, I think it looks like he maybe disconnected the odometer if that thing only has "400" miles on it either that or he beat the crap out of it. I know the titling process will cost a bit sadly but I need to practice riding anyway any for my endorsement. Probably just keep saving and see if this current situation with these online dealers giving people the shaft changes enough to to where I feel comfortable.